Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - The Return of the King (Part 1) | May 6, 2026
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- Allen jackson: one of my heroes in the bible is saul of tarsus.
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- He becomes the apostle paul.
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- I know you know his story.
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- He's written two-thirds of our new testament by title,
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- And one of the most remarkable characters
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- We meet in all of the scripture.
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- He was a pharisee with a remarkable education, brilliant
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- Mind, and he hated jesus and jesus followers.
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- Until he met jesus one day.
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- He's on the road to damascus, and jesus interrupts his life,
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- And he becomes the apostle paul, one of the most powerful voices
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- For jesus that history has ever known.
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- We put together a 90-day devotional.
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- It's "lessons from paul."
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- I'm still learning from paul, and i just wanted to share it
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- With you.
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- There's a little--there's a scripture verse.
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- There's a bit of a devotional.
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- There's a place for some journaling.
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- It's really intended to provide some direction so that you and i
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- Become overcomers.
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- Overcomers of our past, overcomers of the opposition in
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- The present.
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- Doesn't matter what the adversary is, the power of god
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- That delivered paul, he'll deliver you and me.
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- I believe you'll enjoy lessons from paul.
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- [music]
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- Allen: we've been working through a short series on what's
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- Ahead, really prompted out of--i had a series of questions over a
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- Couple of weeks from either emails that i was given
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- On "aj now" or some other formats where people had
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- A lot of questions and honestly, a lot of fear
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- About some little perspectives on the biblical prophetic
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- Perspective on what is ahead of us.
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- Like what will we do when the mark of the beast is implemented
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- And we're shut out of the marketplace?
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- And there was so much fear.
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- And so, i thought we'd come back and pick this up.
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- So, this is the third in the series.
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- We began by talking about why we don't have to be afraid, and we
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- Looked at some biblical characters that walked through
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- Periods when there was some tremendous judgment that god
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- Visited on his people.
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- Jeremiah was a prophet in jerusalem when god brought the
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- Babylonians to destroy the city and destroy the temple as
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- Judgment upon the hearts of his people, not because of
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- Babylonian military prowess, but because god handed his people
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- Over to them.
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- You see, if we stand in the place that god wants for us, we
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- Have his protection.
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- He's our strong tower, our rock.
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- And so, i'm not saying that it's always easy or always fun, but
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- We don't have to live in fear of what's ahead of us.
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- We really don't.
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- Now, we have to be willing to follow the lord.
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- If you're not following the lord, you should be terrified.
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- That's a terrifying thing to be responsible for navigating
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- Your way.
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- And so, we spent a session on that, and then we took the
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- Previous session and we talked a bit about the characteristics of
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- The season as we approach the end of this age.
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- The current age, the present world order, the bible is very
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- Clear, will come to a conclusion.
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- Time in scripture is linear.
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- Genesis 1:1: "in the beginning."
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- If you start a story with the beginning, it's a point
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- Of logic that there will be a conclusion, and there will be a
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- Conclusion to this present age.
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- It doesn't mean it's the end of god's dealing with adam and his
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- Descendants, but this present world order and the systems that
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- It holds in place will come to a conclusion.
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- And so, we looked at the characteristics of
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- Those seasons.
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- In this session, i want to look at some of the events that are
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- Associated with the return of jesus, thus the title, "the
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- Return of the king."
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- You know, he's coming back.
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- It's not a threat.
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- Truthfully, we--you know, typically in a--in a group of
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- Biblically informed people, you get kind of a positive response
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- To that.
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- But between where we st--where we are today and his return, we
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- Have some choppy water.
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- Okay, i'm all right with that.
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- If that's how we get here, it's--i mean, jesus used
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- Birth pains.
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- You know, the people that seem to celebrate pregnancy and
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- Births are the people that have already done it.
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- Right?
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- 'cause they've--the outcome has been a blessing and the people
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- In the midst of that, you know, they have other adjectives in
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- All of that.
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- And so if we happen to be in the midst of that season that is
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- Like pregnant and birth pains and deliveries, those are
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- Traumatic times, frightening times, vulnerable times, all of
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- Those things are a part of that.
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- I grew up in a veterinarian's home, and they were constantly
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- Bringing animals to us that were in that season because they
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- Recognized it was a more perilous time.
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- They--sometimes they needed expertise or help, and i think
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- To walk through that season, we need to understand we're gonna
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- Need help beyond ourselves.
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- Because something is breaking forth, something is bursting
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- Forth, something that's emerging that is beyond us, beyond our
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- Imagination, with incredible potential.
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- Now, this session just--i doubt we're gonna finish all of this.
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- There's probably one more session in this.
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- I wrote it as three, but it's probably gonna take one more.
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- Because i wonder.
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- It's just better to confess.
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- But the events associated with jesus's return, if you've been
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- Around here a bit, you've heard before, i don't have a chart.
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- I'm not opposed to them.
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- I've read many, i've studied several.
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- I've had friends that build charts.
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- I had a friend that spent his whole life on a chart.
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- One of the most brilliant biblical scholars i've
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- Ever known.
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- I wasn't even smart enough to read his chart.
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- I mean, it was a very impressive piece of work.
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- He was--it was old school.
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- I mean, he had it on butcher paper.
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- It was--i mean, you needed a big wall to put it on.
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- And i don't have a chart.
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- In fact, i want to present these things as a part of the--what i
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- Understand the scriptures say, describes the events that are
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- Associated with that season when jesus returns.
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- But i'm not trying to arrange them in order because i
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- Don't know.
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- Don't send me an email.
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- You know, i could argue multiple positions from scripture with
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- Some conviction.
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- And i--some things that i carry in--at least in my own heart,
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- That the lord gives us enough information to be prepared, but
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- I don't have to be the--like the glossary with the exact
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- Presentation of everything, so i can hold these things somewhat
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- More lightly without feeling like i have violated
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- My intellect.
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- And if you prefer another approach, i'm okay with that.
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- I love you.
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- But i can tell you with some certainty that the scripture
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- Tells us this set of things will be a part of this season.
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- And what i would encourage you to do is to let the holy spirit
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- Focus your attention on what he wants to show you.
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- And i'm amazed, every time i make a presentation, i'll talk
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- To a dozen or more people at the end of that, and they will tell
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- Me what they heard.
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- And if i talked to a dozen people, they heard 30
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- Different things, typically none of which were my intent.
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- And once i got over the disappointment of that,
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- I understood that the lord helps us hear what we need.
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- And so i also know from scripture, you know, jesus was
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- Very direct with his closest friends and followers, his most
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- Committed followers, about what would happen at the end of
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- His life.
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- He said, "we're going to jerusalem.
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- I'll be betrayed, i'll be arrested.
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- I'll be tortured."
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- He told them all this stuff, and yet when it happened, it was
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- Like it was a complete brand-new experience.
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- They were completely unprepared.
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- So, i carry this sense that as we walk through some of these
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- Things, the scope and magnitude of the change and the
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- Uncertainty of it and the turmoil that comes, even with
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- The--all the preparation we can do, there's gonna be that sense
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- Of, "wow, i didn't know it was gonna be like this."
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- I've told you this story before, a young couple that had--in the
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- Church, true story, they had a--you know, a couple, it was
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- Their first child, and when they--we visited them in the
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- Hospital, and i saw him at church that next weekend,
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- And i saw the young man, and i saw him in the lobby.
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- I said, how are you doing? how are you doing?
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- And he looked at me and he was so serious.
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- He said, "pastor, i guess we're okay, but they made us leave and
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- We weren't ready to go home."
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- I think he did like two or three weeks of a little bit of
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- Hospital support.
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- And i think there's gonna be a little bit of that in us as we
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- Walk through some of this.
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- It's like, lord, you told us it was coming, but wow.
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- And we have to keep our focus on the outcome.
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- There's a whole new kingdom coming.
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- And a whole new world order coming.
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- Change is not easy.
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- It's just seldom easy.
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- So, we're gonna walk through some of these.
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- I'll start with the resurrection and the judgment of
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- True christians.
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- The--this--the word that gets so much attention and so much
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- Discussion is "rapture," and i don't want to go too far down
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- That rabbit hole.
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- You'll hear people say, you know, it's a word that's not in
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- The bible.
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- Well, that's kind of true.
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- There's some translations that use it and there's some
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- That don't.
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- There is a greek word used that means a sudden, almost violent
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- Snatching or catching away, which is what the word "rapture"
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- Tends to suggest.
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- So if someone says to you, "it's not a word in the bible," you
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- Go, okay.
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- I mean, i'm like, i'm good with that.
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- I'm just gonna get snatched away at some point.
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- I don't--i'm not gonna argue nomenclature, but in 1
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- Thessalonians 4 in verse 15, we get kind of a window into this.
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- It says: "according to the lord's own word, we tell you
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- That we who are still alive, we who are left till the coming of
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- The lord."
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- So, the church, the new testament church, the early
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- Church is anticipating the return of the lord.
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- We still are.
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- "will certainly not precede those who've fallen asleep.
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- For the lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud
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- Command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet
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- Call of god, and the dead in christ will rise first.
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- And after that, we who are still alive and are left will be
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- Caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the lord in
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- The air.
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- And so we'll be with the lord forever.
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- Therefore encourage each other with these words."
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- So, you've got a--you've got a biblical assignment to have a
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- Little note of encouragement tucked in your heart.
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- When you see somebody walking through a difficult season or
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- You see a difficult season approaching us, i get emails
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- Almost every week from people telling me, you know, that the
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- Systems are about to collapse.
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- And i think, well, all right, if they do, i'm getting ready for
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- The return of the king.
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- You know, i don't always know what next is gonna be, but if
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- The babylonians breach the wall and they tear down the temple,
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- God will provide for us.
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- I trust him.
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- I don't think that means we should be reckless or foolish or
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- Unaware, but i don't think we have to live lives that are
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- Paralyzed or that we avoid.
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- The more common reaction is to avoid the current culture
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- Because it's intrusive to us, it's unsettling to us,
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- It seems difficult, it seems to be an expression of darkness,
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- And all of those things can be true, but we better be aware
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- Or we're not prepared to be light and salt.
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- Now, i can tell you from that passage in 1 thessalonians 4
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- That it's not a secret rapture.
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- You know, it's because it describes it.
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- There'll be a loud command, the voice of an archangel, and a
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- Trumpet call.
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- Nothing about that seems secretive to me.
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- If an angel shout and blows a trumpet, folks, that's not the
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- Way to sneak up on people.
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- The latin word in that passage is--it means caught up.
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- It's something that's forcibly seized, as i said.
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- In greek, it's a sudden, forceful grab.
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- Jesus is going to reach down and forcefully grab his people.
- 00:11:13.898 --> 00:11:19.471
- The biblical imagery that i think is helpful is the thief
- 00:11:19.471 --> 00:11:21.906
- Takes what doesn't belong to him.
- 00:11:21.906 --> 00:11:23.908
- Jesus is only gonna take what belongs to him.
- 00:11:23.908 --> 00:11:27.278
- You want to live every day fully prepared to meet the king.
- 00:11:27.278 --> 00:11:31.382
- That's not a threat.
- 00:11:31.382 --> 00:11:32.717
- That shouldn't be perceived as intimidating.
- 00:11:32.717 --> 00:11:35.954
- You know, i want to live every day to honor the commitment i
- 00:11:35.954 --> 00:11:38.690
- Made to my wife.
- 00:11:38.690 --> 00:11:40.024
- I'm not looking for days to make a lesser commitment.
- 00:11:40.024 --> 00:11:42.994
- You know, "tuesdays and thursdays, i'm really committed.
- 00:11:42.994 --> 00:11:47.699
- Friday's kind of a free day."
- 00:11:47.699 --> 00:11:50.034
- I mean, that's messed up.
- 00:11:50.034 --> 00:11:51.970
- And but yet we sometimes, we walk some of these things
- 00:11:51.970 --> 00:11:54.472
- Through our relationship with the lord.
- 00:11:54.472 --> 00:11:56.207
- I think we ignore the idea sometimes because we really just
- 00:11:56.207 --> 00:11:58.777
- Don't believe in god's power.
- 00:11:58.777 --> 00:12:01.679
- You know, we have distilled our faith down to the point that
- 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:03.882
- It's principally an intellectual exercise.
- 00:12:03.882 --> 00:12:06.785
- Almost as if we imagine there'll be an entrance exam.
- 00:12:06.785 --> 00:12:11.055
- And we've pushed the power of god so far to the periphery, and
- 00:12:11.055 --> 00:12:13.625
- I think we've had that privilege because we've lived with so much
- 00:12:13.625 --> 00:12:16.427
- Freedom and liberty and abundance.
- 00:12:16.427 --> 00:12:18.830
- We don't really have to learn to believe in healing because we've
- 00:12:18.830 --> 00:12:20.698
- Had such amazing healthcare available to us.
- 00:12:20.698 --> 00:12:23.468
- We haven't had to trust god for the future of our children as
- 00:12:23.468 --> 00:12:26.271
- Fully because they've had so many opportunities.
- 00:12:26.271 --> 00:12:28.606
- In fact, we have so many opportunities, it leads us
- 00:12:28.606 --> 00:12:30.542
- Towards mediocrity.
- 00:12:30.542 --> 00:12:32.243
- The more options you have, the greater, much greater the
- 00:12:32.243 --> 00:12:34.579
- Tendency that you'll be mediocre at everything.
- 00:12:34.579 --> 00:12:38.616
- And so, we really haven't had to believe in the power of god, but
- 00:12:38.616 --> 00:12:41.786
- I believe between where we are and the return of the king, we
- 00:12:41.786 --> 00:12:45.223
- Won't flourish without the power of god as a part of the journey.
- 00:12:45.223 --> 00:12:49.327
- [music]
- 00:12:49.327 --> 00:12:52.730
- Allen: you know, around the world, people are searching
- 00:12:55.767 --> 00:12:57.702
- For truth.
- 00:12:57.702 --> 00:12:59.070
- And together, we're doing our very best to help them find it.
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- When you become a ministry partner with allen jackson
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- Ministries, you're joining a growing community of believers
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- Who are committed to strengthening the church and
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- Sharing god's word through every available channel television,
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- Resources, conferences.
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- Your monthly partnership helps us equip believers to reach new
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- Audiences and to take the hope of jesus to people who may never
- 00:13:23.061 --> 00:13:26.931
- Have heard the gospel otherwise.
- 00:13:26.931 --> 00:13:29.100
- Together we can stand firm in our faith and make god's truth
- 00:13:29.100 --> 00:13:33.004
- Known right here at home and around the earth, wherever god
- 00:13:33.004 --> 00:13:36.207
- Opens the door.
- 00:13:36.207 --> 00:13:37.542
- Let's keep gathering his people and building his church until
- 00:13:37.542 --> 00:13:40.712
- The day our king returns.
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- You can find more about becoming a ministry partner
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- At allenjackson.com/partner.
- 00:13:46.084 --> 00:13:49.254
- [music]
- 00:13:49.254 --> 00:13:54.225
- Allen: and so, i put a couple of passages in there that i think
- 00:13:56.194 --> 00:13:58.529
- Just remind us of--it's matthew 27.
- 00:13:58.529 --> 00:14:01.099
- This was jesus's crucifixion.
- 00:14:01.099 --> 00:14:03.368
- This is when the centurion found his voice.
- 00:14:03.368 --> 00:14:05.737
- He said: "at the moment the curtain of the temple was torn
- 00:14:05.737 --> 00:14:08.206
- In two," this is when jesus gave up his spirit.
- 00:14:08.206 --> 00:14:11.442
- "and the earth shook and the rocks split.
- 00:14:11.442 --> 00:14:12.844
- And the tombs broke open, and the bodies of many holy people
- 00:14:12.844 --> 00:14:15.613
- Who had died were raised to life.
- 00:14:15.613 --> 00:14:17.682
- They came out of the tombs, and after jesus' resurrection they
- 00:14:17.682 --> 00:14:19.918
- Went into the holy city and appeared to many people."
- 00:14:19.918 --> 00:14:22.587
- That's a fascinating passage to me.
- 00:14:22.587 --> 00:14:24.422
- Resurrections are a part of the biblical narrative.
- 00:14:24.422 --> 00:14:26.391
- Old testament, new testament.
- 00:14:26.391 --> 00:14:28.493
- You can probably list several yourself.
- 00:14:28.493 --> 00:14:30.461
- This is unique because it wasn't a resurrection.
- 00:14:30.461 --> 00:14:32.530
- It says the bodies of many holy people were raised to
- 00:14:32.530 --> 00:14:35.033
- Life again.
- 00:14:35.033 --> 00:14:36.367
- The tombs broke open.
- 00:14:36.367 --> 00:14:38.169
- I mean, that'll make a scene.
- 00:14:38.169 --> 00:14:39.537
- The roman centurion, when all this has happened, it's says,
- 00:14:39.537 --> 00:14:41.806
- When he saw what happened, he couldn't see the curtain being
- 00:14:41.806 --> 00:14:45.143
- Torn in the temple, that was inside a structure.
- 00:14:45.143 --> 00:14:47.145
- He had no way of knowing that or even understanding that.
- 00:14:47.145 --> 00:14:49.847
- It's possible that he could have seen tombs breaking open because
- 00:14:49.847 --> 00:14:53.685
- The roman centurion, this hardhearted executioner, this
- 00:14:53.685 --> 00:14:56.321
- Murderous man said, "surely, this man was the son of god."
- 00:14:56.321 --> 00:15:00.892
- God's power is different than we've expected.
- 00:15:00.892 --> 00:15:04.696
- Really.
- 00:15:04.696 --> 00:15:06.030
- I mean, i don't--i don't have a way to get my brain to go there,
- 00:15:06.030 --> 00:15:08.399
- But i spend time on a regular--but almost daily if i
- 00:15:08.399 --> 00:15:11.402
- Can, to try to think of things that invite me to imagine the
- 00:15:11.402 --> 00:15:14.572
- Power of god is greater than i've understood it to be.
- 00:15:14.572 --> 00:15:17.842
- I try to follow my friends through the pages of the bible
- 00:15:17.842 --> 00:15:20.211
- And think, you know, how did they process that?
- 00:15:20.211 --> 00:15:22.380
- How did they do it? how do they know?
- 00:15:22.380 --> 00:15:24.983
- How do they understand? how do they have the courage?
- 00:15:24.983 --> 00:15:27.752
- I don't wanna be just a church christian.
- 00:15:27.752 --> 00:15:32.724
- I wanna be one of the people of god that he can--
- 00:15:32.724 --> 00:15:34.759
- He put every--anywhere.
- 00:15:34.759 --> 00:15:40.598
- But i don't know if you caught it or not.
- 00:15:40.598 --> 00:15:42.266
- It's an intriguing verse.
- 00:15:42.266 --> 00:15:43.735
- I have questions when i get to hear the whole story.
- 00:15:43.735 --> 00:15:46.671
- "tombs broke open and the bodies of holy men had raised to life.
- 00:15:46.671 --> 00:15:49.107
- They came out of the tombs, and after jesus' resurrection, they
- 00:15:49.107 --> 00:15:51.609
- Went into the holy city."
- 00:15:51.609 --> 00:15:52.977
- They went into jerusalem.
- 00:15:52.977 --> 00:15:54.312
- They didn't go into jerusalem right after the jesus gave up
- 00:15:54.312 --> 00:15:57.315
- His spirit.
- 00:15:57.315 --> 00:15:58.649
- He's not gonna be raised from the dead for a bit yet.
- 00:15:58.649 --> 00:16:00.685
- Where'd they go?
- 00:16:00.685 --> 00:16:02.920
- I'll give you my opinion.
- 00:16:02.920 --> 00:16:04.889
- I think they played rook for three days.
- 00:16:04.889 --> 00:16:09.427
- I have no idea.
- 00:16:09.427 --> 00:16:11.929
- We don't know.
- 00:16:11.929 --> 00:16:13.264
- We don't get the whole story.
- 00:16:13.264 --> 00:16:15.900
- We don't get the whole story.
- 00:16:15.967 --> 00:16:18.336
- Sometimes we read the bible as if--if we read it carefully
- 00:16:18.336 --> 00:16:21.139
- Enough, and we look at all the right places, and we learn all
- 00:16:21.139 --> 00:16:23.141
- The original languages, that we will get it all.
- 00:16:23.141 --> 00:16:26.944
- No.
- 00:16:26.944 --> 00:16:28.546
- That's not what the pre--this is a presentation that tells us
- 00:16:28.546 --> 00:16:32.250
- There's a creator god, that he created humanity.
- 00:16:32.250 --> 00:16:36.687
- And it tells us how adam and his descendants could have a
- 00:16:36.687 --> 00:16:39.190
- Relationship with almighty god if we're interested.
- 00:16:39.190 --> 00:16:42.527
- It's not a full explanation of the earth and everything
- 00:16:42.527 --> 00:16:45.196
- That's here.
- 00:16:45.196 --> 00:16:46.564
- It's not a full explanation of all that god's been engaged in.
- 00:16:46.564 --> 00:16:50.601
- It's enough to help us as descendants of adam to engage in
- 00:16:50.601 --> 00:16:53.871
- The eternal kingdom of god if we would like to.
- 00:16:53.871 --> 00:16:56.240
- That will require us to humble ourselves, to submit our
- 00:16:56.240 --> 00:16:58.409
- Intellect to him.
- 00:16:58.409 --> 00:17:00.211
- I want you to use your brain.
- 00:17:00.211 --> 00:17:01.546
- You'll need all the capacity god's given you to fulfill
- 00:17:01.546 --> 00:17:03.314
- Your assignment.
- 00:17:03.314 --> 00:17:05.716
- But i'm willing to just--i'm just willing to go out on a limb
- 00:17:05.716 --> 00:17:07.919
- And say god's probably smarter than me.
- 00:17:07.919 --> 00:17:11.756
- Look at 1 corinthians 15: "listen, i tell you a mystery:
- 00:17:11.756 --> 00:17:15.393
- We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--in a flash,
- 00:17:15.393 --> 00:17:19.664
- In the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
- 00:17:19.664 --> 00:17:22.166
- The trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised
- 00:17:22.166 --> 00:17:24.235
- Imperishable, and we will be changed.
- 00:17:24.235 --> 00:17:27.305
- The perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable,
- 00:17:27.305 --> 00:17:31.242
- And the mortal with immortality."
- 00:17:31.242 --> 00:17:34.278
- That's one of the most exciting thoughts that in the twinkling
- 00:17:34.278 --> 00:17:36.747
- Of an eye, in the--in the flash of an eye, we will be changed.
- 00:17:36.747 --> 00:17:42.553
- Come on.
- 00:17:42.553 --> 00:17:44.555
- People, you know, i mean, pastor, i'm just--
- 00:17:44.555 --> 00:17:45.890
- That's why--what sparked this--
- 00:17:45.890 --> 00:17:47.291
- I'm so anxious, pastor.
- 00:17:47.291 --> 00:17:49.127
- What will we do?
- 00:17:49.127 --> 00:17:50.695
- I don't know exactly, but i know the outcome.
- 00:17:50.695 --> 00:17:52.530
- I'm gonna be changed.
- 00:17:52.530 --> 00:17:55.399
- Come on.
- 00:17:55.399 --> 00:18:00.204
- The rapture will be followed secondly by the judgment
- 00:18:04.308 --> 00:18:06.577
- Of christians.
- 00:18:06.577 --> 00:18:09.313
- As christ followers, we will face an evaluation.
- 00:18:09.313 --> 00:18:13.784
- 2 corinthians 5:10 says: "we must all appear," we must
- 00:18:13.784 --> 00:18:16.921
- All appear.
- 00:18:16.921 --> 00:18:19.257
- If we're gonna all appear, who doesn't have to appear?
- 00:18:19.257 --> 00:18:24.362
- No one, we're all going to appear, "before the judgment
- 00:18:24.362 --> 00:18:27.165
- Seat of christ, that each one may receive what is due him for
- 00:18:27.165 --> 00:18:30.835
- The things done while in the body, whether good or bad."
- 00:18:30.835 --> 00:18:35.606
- In the new testament, the judgment--there's more than one
- 00:18:35.606 --> 00:18:37.475
- Judgment presented.
- 00:18:37.475 --> 00:18:39.443
- There's the judgment seat of christ, there's the great white
- 00:18:39.443 --> 00:18:41.445
- Throne judgment, and the key to the judgment is understanding
- 00:18:41.445 --> 00:18:44.649
- The judgment seat.
- 00:18:44.649 --> 00:18:45.983
- That's what denotes the authority of that judgment.
- 00:18:45.983 --> 00:18:48.920
- This particular scenario, as i understand it, is the judgment
- 00:18:48.920 --> 00:18:51.522
- Of believers.
- 00:18:51.522 --> 00:18:53.457
- And we will all face an evaluation.
- 00:18:53.457 --> 00:18:56.294
- Everything about us will be totally known.
- 00:18:56.294 --> 00:18:58.095
- There's nothing--nothing's gonna be hidden.
- 00:18:58.095 --> 00:19:00.798
- If you'll start to meditate on that, if you'll make room in
- 00:19:00.798 --> 00:19:03.434
- Your imagination, again, it's not a threat.
- 00:19:03.434 --> 00:19:06.103
- If you understand, god knows the thoughts and the intents of our
- 00:19:06.103 --> 00:19:09.373
- Heart, not what we say, that it helps us to begin to lead a more
- 00:19:09.373 --> 00:19:14.645
- Open life before the lord and before one another.
- 00:19:14.645 --> 00:19:17.615
- Otherwise, we're devious and conniving and carnal and
- 00:19:17.615 --> 00:19:22.720
- Manipulative, and all those things.
- 00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:25.122
- You can be all those things and be a christ follower, did you
- 00:19:25.122 --> 00:19:27.458
- Know that?
- 00:19:27.458 --> 00:19:29.427
- Isn't that uncomfortable?
- 00:19:29.427 --> 00:19:31.729
- Or you can begin to crucify your carnal nature and yield your own
- 00:19:31.729 --> 00:19:36.100
- Self and recognize that god knows your thoughts and intents,
- 00:19:36.100 --> 00:19:39.570
- And you will give an account of them.
- 00:19:39.570 --> 00:19:42.540
- Wow, not a threat.
- 00:19:42.540 --> 00:19:44.008
- Again, it's a--i learned this, i've told you,
- 00:19:44.008 --> 00:19:46.844
- From "the people's court."
- 00:19:46.844 --> 00:19:48.179
- Remember "the people's court" with judge wapner?
- 00:19:48.179 --> 00:19:49.547
- That's before judge judy and all the other people.
- 00:19:49.547 --> 00:19:52.683
- I was a kid, you know, and i used to--at the end, he would
- 00:19:52.683 --> 00:19:55.620
- Hear the people make their arguments, and he always
- 00:19:55.620 --> 00:19:58.222
- Rendered judgment in favor of somebody.
- 00:19:58.222 --> 00:20:00.558
- He never rendered judgment against somebody.
- 00:20:00.558 --> 00:20:02.159
- He was for the plaintiff or the defendant.
- 00:20:02.159 --> 00:20:05.196
- And i watched it enough to figure out judgment could be
- 00:20:05.196 --> 00:20:07.098
- Good for you, like the one he pronounced judgment for, they
- 00:20:07.098 --> 00:20:10.601
- Were always happy.
- 00:20:10.601 --> 00:20:12.770
- So, i want--we want to imagine that we prepare ourselves so
- 00:20:12.770 --> 00:20:15.806
- That when we appear before the king, we walk away going, "yes!"
- 00:20:15.806 --> 00:20:21.846
- Romans 8:1 says: "there is no condemnation for those who are
- 00:20:21.846 --> 00:20:24.782
- In christ jesus."
- 00:20:24.782 --> 00:20:26.150
- It's not a judgment of condemnation.
- 00:20:26.150 --> 00:20:27.785
- It's not a judgment of destiny.
- 00:20:27.785 --> 00:20:29.320
- It's an evaluation for what you've done with your life.
- 00:20:29.320 --> 00:20:33.891
- Which that calls into question some of the attitudes that we
- 00:20:33.891 --> 00:20:36.994
- Recognize are not the best, that we have to cultivate.
- 00:20:36.994 --> 00:20:39.363
- Some of the--you know, "how much do i have to volunteer?
- 00:20:39.363 --> 00:20:41.365
- How often do i have to attend?"
- 00:20:41.365 --> 00:20:45.036
- You know, "do i tithe off the net or the gross?"
- 00:20:45.036 --> 00:20:48.372
- I mean, some of the questions we ask give a little window into
- 00:20:48.372 --> 00:20:51.042
- What we're wrestling with.
- 00:20:51.042 --> 00:20:59.283
- So, it isn't a judgment of condemnation.
- 00:20:59.283 --> 00:21:01.052
- John says that everything that isn't righteous is sinful, that
- 00:21:01.052 --> 00:21:06.557
- There's no middle ground.
- 00:21:06.557 --> 00:21:07.892
- It seems to me that in contemporary american
- 00:21:07.892 --> 00:21:09.393
- Christendom, we've kind of created a third lane.
- 00:21:09.393 --> 00:21:12.363
- And i understand that to be really a deception of the enemy.
- 00:21:12.363 --> 00:21:15.966
- What we engage in day in and day out is either righteous
- 00:21:15.966 --> 00:21:18.502
- Or ungodly.
- 00:21:18.502 --> 00:21:20.805
- And we shouldn't imagine that there's this third lane.
- 00:21:20.805 --> 00:21:23.574
- I want to spend my life engaged in righteousness.
- 00:21:23.574 --> 00:21:27.912
- And that has little to do with ministry or pulpits or sermons.
- 00:21:27.912 --> 00:21:30.748
- It's the--it's what you give your heart to, it's what you
- 00:21:30.748 --> 00:21:33.851
- Give your talent to.
- 00:21:33.851 --> 00:21:35.219
- It's what you give your energy to and your thoughts to and your
- 00:21:35.219 --> 00:21:37.254
- Emotions to.
- 00:21:37.254 --> 00:21:40.458
- I keep inviting you and people and whoever will listen, away
- 00:21:40.458 --> 00:21:43.694
- From this segmented compartmentalized life
- 00:21:43.694 --> 00:21:46.063
- Where--you know, you visit church and you kind of pull that
- 00:21:46.063 --> 00:21:49.433
- Together for a few minutes and you get your godly face on and
- 00:21:49.433 --> 00:21:53.137
- Then you walk out of there and phew, you know, "i'm glad to
- 00:21:53.137 --> 00:21:54.939
- Have that out of the way."
- 00:21:54.939 --> 00:21:56.307
- It's like--you know, the best part of going to the gym
- 00:21:56.307 --> 00:21:57.908
- Is leaving.
- 00:21:57.908 --> 00:21:59.243
- Right?
- 00:21:59.243 --> 00:22:00.578
- I always walk out of the gym with more energy than i walk in.
- 00:22:00.578 --> 00:22:03.948
- And if they had a camera on me going into the gym at, you know,
- 00:22:03.948 --> 00:22:06.384
- However early in the morning, i'm like, yeah, i'm here.
- 00:22:06.384 --> 00:22:09.320
- Is god not good?
- 00:22:09.320 --> 00:22:12.256
- But when i leave--i mean, i may be wobbly and trembly, but i'm
- 00:22:12.256 --> 00:22:16.360
- Like, i got some hope.
- 00:22:16.360 --> 00:22:18.763
- Done with that for 24 hours.
- 00:22:18.763 --> 00:22:21.966
- Well, i wish i had cameras when we come to church, because we
- 00:22:21.966 --> 00:22:24.335
- Tend to come in late.
- 00:22:24.335 --> 00:22:27.671
- I mean, we come in hot.
- 00:22:27.671 --> 00:22:31.008
- Right?
- 00:22:31.008 --> 00:22:32.343
- But we leave on purpose.
- 00:22:32.343 --> 00:22:35.146
- And there's always a segment of the group that anticipates the
- 00:22:35.146 --> 00:22:38.649
- Ending, and you're gonna be ahead.
- 00:22:38.649 --> 00:22:41.752
- Like when i say let's pray, you're moving.
- 00:22:41.752 --> 00:22:45.089
- I've been here for the majority, let's go.
- 00:22:45.089 --> 00:22:47.558
- Beat the baptist's to shoney's.
- 00:22:47.558 --> 00:22:49.260
- Come on.
- 00:22:49.260 --> 00:22:52.129
- And i wanna learn to reconcile that my whole life is lived
- 00:22:56.267 --> 00:23:00.571
- Before the lord.
- 00:23:00.571 --> 00:23:03.340
- And be happy about that.
- 00:23:03.340 --> 00:23:04.675
- Now, that's a learned thing, that's not intuitive
- 00:23:04.675 --> 00:23:06.410
- Or automatic.
- 00:23:06.410 --> 00:23:09.613
- I put one passage from 1 corinthians 3.
- 00:23:09.613 --> 00:23:11.382
- I thought it was helpful.
- 00:23:11.382 --> 00:23:12.750
- "no one can lay any foundation."
- 00:23:12.750 --> 00:23:15.419
- Paul's writing this to a church, "then the foundation is already
- 00:23:15.419 --> 00:23:18.622
- Laid, which is jesus."
- 00:23:18.622 --> 00:23:20.891
- That's our access to the kingdom of god, that's our status in the
- 00:23:20.891 --> 00:23:23.928
- Kingdom of god, that's our passport into the kingdom
- 00:23:23.928 --> 00:23:26.363
- Of god.
- 00:23:26.363 --> 00:23:27.731
- None of us are gonna add to that.
- 00:23:27.731 --> 00:23:29.567
- But once you've received that gift, the remainder of your life
- 00:23:29.567 --> 00:23:32.970
- Is an expression of the value you attach to that gift.
- 00:23:32.970 --> 00:23:38.509
- And he describes that,
- 00:23:38.509 --> 00:23:39.844
- "if any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver,
- 00:23:39.844 --> 00:23:42.246
- Costly stones, wood, hay, or straw--"
- 00:23:42.246 --> 00:23:45.349
- They're two very different categories.
- 00:23:45.349 --> 00:23:46.951
- One has great value, even if it's a relatively small
- 00:23:46.951 --> 00:23:51.522
- Amount physically.
- 00:23:51.522 --> 00:23:52.857
- The other can have great value, but it takes
- 00:23:52.857 --> 00:23:54.525
- Enormous quantities.
- 00:23:54.525 --> 00:23:57.461
- You know, a handful of precious stones, you could buy a barn
- 00:23:57.461 --> 00:24:00.431
- Full of hay.
- 00:24:00.431 --> 00:24:03.434
- "his work will be shown for what it is, because the day," it's
- 00:24:03.434 --> 00:24:06.971
- Describing the day of judgment, "will bring it to light.
- 00:24:06.971 --> 00:24:09.473
- It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the
- 00:24:09.473 --> 00:24:12.176
- Quality of each man's work.
- 00:24:12.176 --> 00:24:14.211
- If what he's built survives, he will receive his reward.
- 00:24:14.211 --> 00:24:16.881
- If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be
- 00:24:16.881 --> 00:24:20.784
- Saved, but only as one escaping through the flames."
- 00:24:20.784 --> 00:24:25.489
- You know, a lot of back and forth, a lot of debate, a lot of
- 00:24:25.489 --> 00:24:28.325
- Books written, a lot of theological posturing about your
- 00:24:28.325 --> 00:24:32.296
- Salvation and whether it's unassailable.
- 00:24:32.296 --> 00:24:35.866
- I think what's more helpful to live with is you can lose
- 00:24:35.866 --> 00:24:38.202
- Your rewards.
- 00:24:38.202 --> 00:24:40.437
- I don't want you to live with fear that you're gonna forfeit
- 00:24:40.437 --> 00:24:42.573
- Your salvation if you have a wrong thought or you say the
- 00:24:42.573 --> 00:24:44.808
- Wrong word.
- 00:24:44.808 --> 00:24:46.210
- But i do want us to live with the awareness that we could make
- 00:24:46.210 --> 00:24:49.847
- Choices in such a way that we would cause our lives to
- 00:24:49.847 --> 00:24:52.816
- Be inconsequential.
- 00:24:52.816 --> 00:24:56.554
- And i would invite you away from that.
- 00:24:56.554 --> 00:24:58.155
- The--this judgment scene is a very different scene than the
- 00:24:58.155 --> 00:25:00.958
- Great white throne.
- 00:25:00.958 --> 00:25:02.326
- We'll look at that in another place.
- 00:25:02.326 --> 00:25:05.362
- Another thing that that we face between here and the return of
- 00:25:05.362 --> 00:25:07.898
- The king is the emergence of the antichrist and his defeat.
- 00:25:07.898 --> 00:25:15.039
- You can't defeat him unless he's emerged into a very
- 00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:17.141
- Powerful position.
- 00:25:17.141 --> 00:25:18.475
- You wouldn't defeat somebody that was already in the shadows
- 00:25:18.475 --> 00:25:20.177
- And weak.
- 00:25:20.177 --> 00:25:21.845
- So, it kind of presupposes one or the other.
- 00:25:21.845 --> 00:25:25.316
- And there's some confusion around it because the bible
- 00:25:25.316 --> 00:25:27.451
- Talks about antichrist in a variety of ways.
- 00:25:27.451 --> 00:25:30.588
- In 1 john, we kind of get probably the clearest
- 00:25:30.588 --> 00:25:33.090
- Succinct view.
- 00:25:33.090 --> 00:25:34.425
- It talks about the spirit of antichrist being in the earth.
- 00:25:34.425 --> 00:25:38.195
- Antichrist carries with it two meanings.
- 00:25:38.195 --> 00:25:39.930
- It means in opposition to, anti- is opposed to something, but it
- 00:25:39.930 --> 00:25:44.602
- Can also mean in place of.
- 00:25:44.602 --> 00:25:46.704
- You see, the heart of the spirit of antichrist, satan's objective
- 00:25:46.704 --> 00:25:49.640
- Is to be worshiped as christ is intended to be worshiped.
- 00:25:49.640 --> 00:25:53.711
- That's what cost him his place in heaven initially.
- 00:25:53.711 --> 00:25:56.213
- So, the spirit of antichrist opposes the purposes of jesus in
- 00:25:56.213 --> 00:26:00.451
- The earth, but it also tries to attract the worship and the
- 00:26:00.451 --> 00:26:03.687
- Adulation and the priorities that jesus deserves.
- 00:26:03.687 --> 00:26:09.259
- So, you shouldn't always think of the antichrist in terms of
- 00:26:09.259 --> 00:26:11.562
- Something beastly, sometimes it's something that's very
- 00:26:11.562 --> 00:26:14.064
- Attractive and it'll capture your heart.
- 00:26:14.064 --> 00:26:16.066
- [music]
- 00:26:16.066 --> 00:26:20.104
- Allen: you know, i don't believe the primary objective in reading
- 00:26:21.538 --> 00:26:24.575
- Our bible or even the pursuit of our faith is informational.
- 00:26:24.575 --> 00:26:28.045
- I like to learn, but i believe the ultimate objective
- 00:26:28.045 --> 00:26:30.414
- Is transformation.
- 00:26:30.414 --> 00:26:32.282
- We've got a tool i think it'll help, it's called "lessons
- 00:26:32.282 --> 00:26:34.518
- From paul."
- 00:26:34.518 --> 00:26:35.853
- The apostle paul is one of my heroes.
- 00:26:35.853 --> 00:26:37.521
- In the face of unyielding persecution and opposition, some
- 00:26:37.521 --> 00:26:41.091
- Tremendous physical suffering, just awful things, multiple
- 00:26:41.091 --> 00:26:45.129
- Assassination attempts, he remains unflinching in his
- 00:26:45.129 --> 00:26:49.066
- Advocacy for jesus of nazareth.
- 00:26:49.066 --> 00:26:50.734
- He knows the power of god.
- 00:26:50.734 --> 00:26:52.102
- It says god did extraordinary miracles through paul.
- 00:26:52.102 --> 00:26:55.272
- Well, i wanna learn those lessons.
- 00:26:55.272 --> 00:26:56.640
- I wanna be transformed by them, so i can stand in this season
- 00:26:56.640 --> 00:27:00.010
- For the purposes of god in my life.
- 00:27:00.010 --> 00:27:01.578
- So, we put together this devotional, it's 90 days, some
- 00:27:01.578 --> 00:27:04.448
- Portions from paul that are favorites of mine, some
- 00:27:04.448 --> 00:27:07.217
- Journaling space, some prayers.
- 00:27:07.217 --> 00:27:08.852
- It'll help us be changed.
- 00:27:08.852 --> 00:27:10.721
- I wanna pray for you that these 90 days will be transformational
- 00:27:10.721 --> 00:27:13.724
- In your life.
- 00:27:13.724 --> 00:27:15.092
- Father, help us not just be hearers but to be doers of
- 00:27:15.092 --> 00:27:17.327
- Your word.
- 00:27:17.327 --> 00:27:18.662
- May the spirit of god bring transformation to each of us.
- 00:27:18.662 --> 00:27:21.265
- In jesus's name, amen.
- 00:27:21.265 --> 00:27:23.300
- [music]
- 00:27:24.468 --> 00:27:29.239